The Black Friday misnomer: Deals offered for more than a week

Black Friday line barricades were in place by Tuesday afternoon at stores like Best Buy in Newport News, but Peninsula shoppers were staying inside for the time being.

In years past, at least a few campers had settled into place 48 hours before Black Friday bargains were scheduled to begin. This year, there was no such activity at local stores in the days leading up to the shopping holiday.

Perhaps it is the cold and rainy weather forecast that has shoppers staying indoors. Or maybe it is a sign that predictions of an ever-growing online shopping season are proving to be true.

Shoppers and retail experts say the quiet could be an indicator that displeasure over Thanksgiving Day store openings is more widespread this year.

"I'm a longtime Black Friday shopper, but I am boycotting it this year," Mike Earnest said on the Daily Press Savvy Shopper Facebook page. "Black Friday should be on Friday. Thursday should be for your family, not standing in line at 2 p.m. to save a few bucks. I guess the executives at Toys "R" Us don't care if someone's dad isn't at the dinner table with relatives that came to visit."

Toys "R" Us will begin its door buster deals at 5 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, with retailers like Walmart and Best Buy offering up Black Friday deals at 6 p.m.

Target is set to open its doors at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Kohl's and Macy's will open at 8 p.m., as well.

But shoppers have been nabbing Black Friday bargains for more than a week, as retailers have broken their own rules and offered their door buster deals — or matched other stores' deals — online.

On Friday, Nov. 22, Walmart matched Black Friday prices on hot toys like the LeapPad 2 and Disney Infinity starter pack. Last week, crowds began gathering in some parts of Hampton Roads as early as 10 p.m. the night before, with items selling out at midnight, shoppers like Kristen Brooks said on the Savvy Shopper Facebook page.

Best Buy offered its sought-after $99 Kindle Fire and $399 50-inch Sharp TV on its website on Tuesday, and Kohl's introduced more than 500 of its Black Friday deals on its website Tuesday, as well.

The calendar has a big influence on retailers' desire to start Black Friday early. There are six fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year.

"You can be sure this didn't take retailers by surprise," said Kathy Grannis, a spokeswoman for the National Retail Federation. "They have just adjusted their windows, and we're going to see some of the heaviest promotions happen early in the season."

Online sales were up by 12 percent overall on Monday for the same period last year, according to IBM Digital Analytics. Department stores saw a 72 percent increase in online sales on Monday. For 2013, online sales were up almost 20 percent over the Nov. 22-24 weekend.

According to a Consumer Reports poll, 56 percent of shoppers do not plan to shop in stores during Black Friday weekend. The main reason: the crowds.

A retail federation survey says crowds will be slightly less this year, and that Black Friday will continue to be the biggest shopping day of the weekend — not Thanksgiving night.

"I'm going to try Cyber Monday this year," Brooks said. "(I'm) disappointed that it has to start on Thursday, so I'm boycotting this year."

Paitsel can be reached by phone at 757-247-4737.

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Follow the Savvy Shopper's bargain hunt on Black Friday during a live blog on dailypress.com/shopping. Participate by tweeting @HRSavvyShopper or using the hashtag #HRBlackFriday.